REACH Parent Network Information Exchange.

This information exchange, sponsored by Reach, is by parents for parents.  It's content is  guided by Reach's mission to provide choices for families,  be family centered, facilitate inclusion, and  exist as a quality resource.  The information is meant to meet the needs of a multitude of families' interests.  We caution readers that Reach does not investigate all claims, and that claims  made  are not necessarily endorsed or recommended by Reach. Readers are encouraged to undertake further investigation on their own of items noted. 

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Reach News 

Help a Parent/Parent Support?  

 Autism

 ADD/ADHD

 Down Syndrome  

Education  

FASD

Medical and Mental Health 

Sensory   

Transitions

Ministry Information

Workshops and Training

Seasonal

Other

Submissions and Questions?  

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Reach News

• Volunteers and Clothing/Toy Donations Needed!
  Fun and friendly volunteers are needed for Reach's children's thrift store in downtown Ladner. We need volunteers to work in our store, especially for Saturdays. The store is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 2pm. Interested volunteers please email here or 604-946-6622. We are also always accepting good quality, gently used items. All profit from the thrift store go to Reach's preschool program.

 

• Positive Parenting Workshop Series. 

• Positive Parenting: Beyond the Basics. For parents of Children 3 - 18 - you must have taken the pre-requisite course of Positive Parenting the Basics. In this class you will learn further strategies for strengthening your relationship and go deeper into learning the meaning of your child's behavior and how to develop teaching strategies that are specific to your child's profile and situation.

• Fee: free but pre-registration is required.

  Register by email: Pamc@reachchild.org

  O rphone: 604-946-6622, ext.359

  Or fax:604-946-6223

    Child-minding available with preregistration and by donation.We need to know the   ages of your children and if they require any extra special care.

  Bring your own nut free lunch and warm outer wear and shoe wear.

   

• REACH PARENT SUPPORT GROUP  
  This group is for you if you are a parent or guardian of a child with additional needs who would like to talk with other parents about your struggles, concerns, successes and strategies. We meet to talk about certain topics and local resources, but mostly we are meeting to support each other in our journey with our children.
  Led by clinical counsellor, Yvonne McKenna, this monthly drop-in group might just be what you need.
  Where: Reach Play and Learn Centre, 11425 84th Ave, Delta
  When: The 2nd Tuesday of the month - 6:30 to 8:00 pm 

• REACH PARENT CIRCLE: Parent Support Circle is a free, monthly, confidential parent gathering with a focus on parenting children with ADHD or behaviour challenges. Led by trained facilitators. The last Friday of every month from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.at Reach, #3 3800 72nd street Ladner
  To register call Robyn at 604-946-6622 ext.328 or email here
  

• We're building a child development centre in the heart of the community.   Click here  to find out how you can help.

Click here to see our WEBSITE! 

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ADD/ADHD

• ADHD and Depression: Diagnosing, Treating, and Managing a Dual Diagnosis. Are you depressed because you have untreated ADHD, or are you dealing with something more serious? Here's how to tell the difference between reactive depression and major depression - and get the help you need. Click here to read more

• Executive Function Disorder, Explained.  Children and adults with Executive Function Disorder (EFD) experience difficulty organizing, scheduling, planning, and completing tasks. Here, we explain everything you need to know about EFD - what it is, how to differentiate it from ADHD, and ways to help kids live (and succeed) with it.  Click here to read more

• 3 Video Games That Build Better Thinking. Video games aren't all bad! Check out these three expert-recommended video games to help your ADHD child improve focus, concentration, and planning skills.Are you concerned that your eight-year-old's video game play is turning his mind to mush? I get it. But what if I told you that playing Minecraft and other skill-building video games might actually improve his focus, working memory, and other executive functions? Click here to read more

• "I Forgot to Remember." Working Memory Help for ADHD Kids.

  Does your child "forget to remember" homework, chores, spelling words, and more? Try these strategies - tested by a real ADHD mom - to improve her working memory.

  Have you ever helped your child with homework only to have her forget to turn it in? Are you baffled when your child can spell words correctly at home, but gets the same words wrong on the spelling test?These experiences are common to children with ADHD. Having a weak working memory, in addition to being easily distracted, leads to many challenges in retaining information. Here are several recall strategies that have worked well for my kids.Click here to read more

• What's It Like Being ADD? "No one can turn this off. There's no peace and quiet. There's no escape at all." How would you describe daily life with an ADHD brain? Adults with ADHD describe what it feels like living each day with an overstimulated, overwhelmed, racing brain that won't ever let you catch your breath. Click here to see the video 

• Make the Grades: How to Energize Learning. Teaching them to ask questions is a great strategy to help ADHD children retain information and get excited about learning. I used to struggle in school. I couldn't remember what I read in textbooks. I had a hard time paying attention in class, thanks to undiagnosed ADHD. I didn't take good notes, and I didn't have a clue as to how to study for tests. Click here to read more

  
   

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   Down Syndrome  

• You are Invited to a Delta Down Syndrome Support Group meeting: OUR GOALS ARE
  · To provide guest speakers (Reach therapists, community
  professionals and other programs) to discuss common issues
  · To provide support and information to families in Delta who
  have a child with Down Syndrome
  · To help connect parents of children with Down Syndrome
  · To provide monthly meetings for parents and their children
  · To provide on-site child minding while you attend the
  discussion
  When: First Thursday of each month
  Where: Reach Developmental Preschool North Delta
  10921 - 82nd Avenue, Delta, BC
  Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm
  Cost: No charge
  Light refreshments provided
  Please RSVP to Sarah Garnham at 604-946-6622 extension 321.
  or email here 

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FASD

• REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR THE 7TH ANNUAL FALL FASD CONFERENCE: UNTANGLING ANXIETY!  The conference will be held on Saturday, November 22nd, 2014 at Douglas College in New Westminster!Conference participants will:
  * Learn about emerging knowledge of anxiety as it relates to individuals with FASD and their caregivers
  * Learn about current practices and supports available for individuals living with FASD who also  experience anxiety
  * Learn self care strategies for caregivers and support professionals who experience anxiety while  supporting individuals with FASD
  * Network and liaise with families and professionals Click here for more information 

• Langley - FASD adoptive and foster parents. Monthly support group meetings for those with children who have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Info: Jamie, 604-530-5917.

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Medical and Mental Health

• Click here for Complex Child - November Magazine - Complex and Palliative Care Issue   NEW

• The Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre and the FORCE Society for Kids' Mental Health are pleased to announce an amazing lineup of educational events  To find out more about the dates, topics, and how you can join in, view our poster or visit our website here
  Time Thursdays, 12-1pm (PST)
  Registration PHONE 604-875-2084 or 1-800-665-1822
  EMAIL HERE
  WEB HERE
  NOV 13 2014: Mental Health and Online Safety    

• Mind Matters e-newsletter provides new resources and programs offered by Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) BC Division and is committed to the mental health of British Columbians. Click here for their current newsletter   

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Transitions  

• Do You Have a Dream that Your Child with Special Needs Can Live Independently? I remind our teachers every chance I get to think of their student at age 25.  Where will he/she be?  At home on their parent's sofa playing video games or living independently with a desirable paying job? This question helps teachers and other staff to reconsider things like letting undesirable behaviors continue, helping students too much with basic living skills, not pushing hard enough for functional academics, not insisting on independence in self help skills and not striving for a functional communication system. Click here to see a video all about Angie getting her independence!
  
   
• Tim Hortons model the tip of the iceberg for hiring people with disabilities With the launch of Canadian Business SenseAbility, an organization that will train companies how to hire disabled employees, we look at the worker who inspired the movement.  Click here to read more 
   
• The Vancouver Parents Transition Group (VPT)bis an education and support group for parents of youth with disabilities who are transitioning to adulthood. The group meets once per month and features guest speakers who provide information and support to families. Click here to learn more! 

• Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation Improving Services to People with Developmental Disabilities Click here to learn more and see a video showing how to apply for services!  

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Ministry Information  

• Ministry of Children and Family Development:Responsible for providing a range of services and supports for children and youth with special needs and their families.

• Community Living British Columbia:
  Responsible for delivering services and supports for adults with developmental disabilities
• NEW - Click here for CLBC's - The Citizen Fall Newsletter - the last one like this!
     

• Ministry of Housing & Social Development:
  Responsible for education and support payments, work programs, bus passes and health and dental benefits for persons with disabilitie. 

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Workshops and Training 

•  CLick here for the FALL CCRR Training Calendar of workshops! 

• Click here for information on RDSP presentations 

• Click here to see all of ACT's Upcoming Presentations 

• Click here for all upcoming workshops by Delta Assist   

• Click here for upcoming events sponsored by the BC Council for Families  

• Positive Parenting Workshop Series. 

  • Positive Parenting: Beyond the Basics. For parents of Children 3 - 18 - you must have taken the pre-requisite course of Positive Parenting the Basics. In this class you will learn further strategies for strengthening your relationship and go deeper into learning the meaning of your child's behavior and how to develop teaching strategies that are specific to your child's profile and situation.

  • Fee: free but pre-registration is required.

    Register by email: here    

    O rphone: 604-946-6622, ext.359

    Or fax:604-946-6223

      Child-minding available with preregistration and by donation.We need to know the    ages of your children and if they require any extra special care. Bring your own nut free lunch!

• Working with Anxious Children and Youth:  Building your Tool box :Presented by
  Cameray Child and Family Services     Friday, November 14, 2014

This fast-paced one-day workshop features four leaders in the field of anxiety!

It is designed to provide specific tools for professionals who work with anxiety and children. It is appropriate for psychologists, school counsellors, mental health clinicians, social workers, members of school-based teams, youth and family workers and community service providers. Click here for more information

 

• Best Practices in Early Intervention: An Update on the Research and Helping Families Build their "Team" Friday, November 21st, 2014

  Karen Bopp, Ph.D., RSLP,Senior Behavior Consultant, MCFD & Research Affiliate, CIRCA - UBC SFU Harbour Centre  Vancouver, BC Click here for more information 

   
• REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR THE 7TH ANNUAL FALL FASD CONFERENCE: UNTANGLING ANXIETY! The 7th Annual Fall FASD Conference: Untangling Anxiety will be held on Saturday, November 22nd, 2014 at Douglas College in New Westminster! Conference participants will:
  * Learn about emerging knowledge of anxiety as it relates to individuals with FASD and their caregivers
  * Learn about current practices and supports available for individuals living with FASD who also  experience anxiety
  * Learn self care strategies for caregivers and support professionals who experience anxiety while  supporting individuals with FASD
  * Network and liaise with families and professionals  Click here for more information 

• 3rd Annual Richmond Autism Resource Fair November 22, 2014 9:00am - 2:30pm
  Doors Open at 8:30am McMath Secondary School 4251 Garry Street, Richmond
  Childcare is not available. Refreshments and a pizza lunch will be provided
  This is a free event, but registration is required
  Please register online at  here or by phone at 604-279-7013
  Sponsored by the Richmond Autism Interagency Committee, The Ministry for Children and
  Family Development, The Richmond School District, Richmond Society for Community Living
  
   This year, we are pleased to offer presentations from
  ~ Richmond Mom and Autism activist, Pam Collins
  ~ VCH - Richmond Public Health, Anne Swann, Registered Dietician and Andrea Gates, Registered Speech Language Pathologist on Sensory Eating Challenges.
  ~ Sibling Panel
  ~ Youth Self-Advocate Panel
  ~ Who's Who panel of Community Service Providers
  Come join us for a hassle-free, no pressure opportunity to meet and mingle
  with a wide variety of professionals, groups and businesses providing
  services in the Richmond area. We are also pleased to welcome back the Canucks Autism Network with their CAN VAN Interactive Autism Exhibit! To learn more about Autism Resources in Richmond please visit our website: here
   
• FREE IEP Workshop in Punjabi November 27th, 2014- Surrey, B.C.
  Individualized Education Plan (IEP) & the Importance of the Home-School Partnership
  This event, scheduled from 6:00 -8:30 pm on Thursday, November 27th, is aimed at members of the South Asian Community and will be presented in English/Punjabi. It will be co-sponsored by the Surrey School District with the support of ACT's South Asian Autism Committee. Families are welcomed from across school districts. Click here for more information
   
• Problematic Bedtime and Sleep Behaviours November 27th - .Richard Stock, PhD, BCBA-D. CEUs for BACBs are available. Visit the  for more details on this talk and more upcoming talks in 2015. Free.  Click here for more information
   
• The Science of Making Friends Helping Socially Challenged Teens and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders

  Friday & Saturday, December 5 & 6, 2014

  Elizabeth Laugeson, PsyD Founder and Director, PEERS Clinic, University of California Los Angeles SFU Harbour Centre  Vancouver, BC Click here for more information 

   
• CHILDREN the heart of the Matter Conference
  Bell Performing Arts Centre
  6250 144 Street Surrey, BC
  January 16th & 17th & 18th 2015
  Friday Night Keynote by Dr.  Laura Markham! Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting plus so much more! Click here for more information

• Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About the Role of Occupational Therapy in Autism Treatment.  Saturday, January 31st, 2015.  During this workshop, three experienced occupational therapists will talk about their profession, its scope of practice and the importance of having an occupational therapist on the child's interdisciplinary team, from the time of diagnosis through to adulthood. They will explain how occupational therapy can addressing many of the practical challenges of raising a child with ASD from learning to tie shoe laces, handwriting to pre-employment skills! Click here for more information
   
• Autism Awareness Centre Presents the February 2015 Conference! Friday,
• February 27 Joyce Cooper-Kahn
  Late, Lost and Unprepared:  How to Help Youth Build Better Executive Functioning
  Executive functioning is an umbrella term for the mental processes that serve a supervisory role in thinking and behavior.  Individuals with autism spectrum disorders, attention disorders and learning disabilities all have weak executive skills.   For example, they may be disorganized and have trouble with planning, have weak ability to monitor their own behavior and performance, and struggle with situations where they must shift flexibly from one thought or behavior to another.  We can help these young people by creating plans that include both short-term supports for daily success and long term strategies that facilitate the development of executive skills and build greater independence over time. 
• Saturday, February 28 Elizabeth Sautter
  Make Social Learning Stick: Practical Tools to Build Social Regulation
  Social Regulation (Kuypers and Sautter, 2011) is the ability to adjust one's level of alertness and modify how emotions and behaviors are revealed in order to meet social goals.  Our world is filled with complicated social situations that can be sticky to navigate-both emotionally and socially.  It's important to realize that within these situations, regulating emotions/behaviors and managing social communication go hand in hand. Understanding this connection helps to broaden the lens, look at the whole child, and focus on working as a team to paste together the practical applications that work for each child.
• Click here for more information and to register!
   
• 6th International Conference on FASD Research: Results and Relevance 2015
  Integrating Research, Policy, and Promising Practice Around the World
  March 4-7, 2015 | The Westin Bayshore | Vancouver, BC, Canada
• Abstract Submission by May 31, 2014
• Click here for more conference information 

• 2015 General & Special Education Conference March 4, 5, & 6, 2015
  Seattle, WA Location: Grand Hyatt Conference & Hotel-

  Proven Interventions to Increase Student Achievement Pre-K through 12th Grade

  A Professional Continuing Education Event. Click here for more information

   
  
   
  
   

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Seasonal 

• Ultimate Christmas Sensory Gifts Guide For Kids.   My regular followers know I often write about Sensory Processing Disorder. As the publisher of The Sensory Spectrum, I'm often asked to make specific tool recommendations or toy ideas for birthdays and Christmas.Click here to read more
   
    
  
  
   

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Other                

• Quote of the Day: "We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty."  Maya Angelou

•  KidsMatter: Registration is Open for 2015.  After school programs Going Beyond Social Skills Living Life, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Langley and SurreyClick here for more information
  

   

• Click here for the FSI Fall Possibilities Newsletter!    NEW Filled with information!

• Helping Your Toddler Learn to Put Himself to Sleep. Toddlers don't seem to have an off switch.  Often, when they're tired, they just reverberate faster, like an over-wound toy, until they crash.  The bad news is that some kids seem to be born "good" sleepers, and some aren't.  After all, many adults are insomniacs, and while some of them are certainly influenced by environmental factors, some of our ability to sleep easily seems to be innate. This is complicated by the fact that young humans seem designed to sleep with other humans. You may get a better night's sleep with your toddler in another room, but your toddler instinctively feels safer in your presence.  Click here for some great strategies

• Do You Have Parents Who Need an App for a Night Time Routine? Check This Out! There are times when low tech is the best way to go for children with special needs. Then there are those situations where using the technology you have, is the perfect way to go. This is one of those times. 

  Do You Have Parents Who Need an App for a Night Time Routine? Check This Out!

  
   

• The Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) is a long-term savings plan to help Canadians with disabilities and their families save for the future. If you have an RDSP, you may also be eligible for grants and bonds to help with your long-term savings.

  You should consider opening an RDSP if you have a long-term disability and are:

  • eligible for the Disability Tax Credit (disability amount);
  • under the age of 60 (if you are 59, you must apply before the end of the calendar year in which you turned 59);
  • a Canadian resident with a Social Insurance Number (SIN); and
  • looking for a long-term savings plan.

  You may contribute any amount to your RDSP each year, up to the lifetime contribution limit of $200,000. With written permission from the RDSP holder, anyone may contribute to the RDSP. Please click here for more information 

• PLAN (Planned lifetime advocacy network)  offers a variety of workshops regarding RDSP's, wills and estates and setting up personal networks. Please click here for dates! 

• Your One Stop Shop for children and families in Delta - Deltakids.ca - click here!  

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Submissions or Questions?

To submit for our newsletter or have a question for Pam to research please contact her at

Parent Network 

or 604-946-6622 ext 359.  

You can sign up at the Reach Child and Youth Development Society website to receive this newsletter directly.

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